Walking the Camino de Santiago
Pilgrim reports from the Camino.
The church bells are ringing at Santa Maria down the street. I’m in the Hostal with my foot up listening through the window to their chimes. It is not a sound you hear in the States. There are two sets of bells. The first set intones a solemn bong-bong and sounds like ones you’d here at any church but […]
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After a lovely morning in cool, overcast weather, we had an endless afternoon as the Way curved around hill after hill after hill, hiding from us any view of our day’s destination until we had suddenly arrived. In the midst of that endless, depressing afternoon, we met a Friar whose positive impact on my day was immediate. Other impacts, I’m […]
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Some lessons of the Camino have to be pounded into your brain. The first word of the Rule of St Benedict is “Listen”. It’s a rule I struggle to internalize. Listening has never been my strong suit. I could never wait for instructions or for people to even finish a sentence. I’m off in another direction by the time something […]
» Read moreSome lessons of the Camino have to be pounded into your brain. Listening has never been my strong suit. I could never wait for instructions or for people to even finish a sentence. I’m off in another direction by the time something I am supposed to do/hear/receive/etc comes at me. The moniker “gazelle brained” was not given to me lightly […]
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A day of rain and mud. We left Puente la Reina about 8 am, and it was raining by 9. We walked with Emilio and Katy. Second breakfast in Mañeru, and lunch in Lorca. Sadly, most of the churches we passed today were locked up. Between Mañeru and Ciraqui we were on and off a Roman road. Like everything else, […]
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» Read moreWe were supposed to rest today. That did NOT happen. And that’s ok. We had a plan up to Pamplona and now we are just winging it. Because we moved forward a bit more, instead of staying in one place, tomorrow won’t be hitting Alta de Perdon after a long slog through a rocky town. We are already at […]
» Read moreSometime in February I went too far on my feet and set off a cascade of fascia problems from my Achilles to my plantar muscles. It has been a very challenging road to recovery and my feet are still not 100%. Our first day of the Camino was especially challenging as the road goes ever upward. Then, it comes down […]
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Today we took another short day with Emilio and Katie, from Zariquigui to Puente la Reina, only 13 km. We tackled Alto de Perdón first thing, and it was much easier than I remember. Of course, back in 2013 it was raining and the path was more of a river than a road. Today it was cool and dry, and […]
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Today was meant to be a rest day in glorious Pamplona. We went to Lauds (chanted Latin) and Mass (first half Latin, second half Spanish) at the Cathedral. Then, I took about 200 photos (see the link in the side bar – totally worth it). We visited the cloisters and the cathedral museum. As I said, it […]
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